Neuropsychological tests are used to assess and diagnose brain impairments, such as traumatic brain injury, dementia, or Alzheimer's disease (Gregory, 1999). The goals of neuropsychological evaluations include determining whether the problem is physiological (e.g., brain injury or injury), the nature of the dysfunction (e.g., location or type), and the cognitive deficits caused by the problem (Class VIII Notes). For example, following a brain injury, a battery of neurological tests may be administered to evaluate the individual to determine if there has been a change in their cognitive functioning. The results of neurological assessments can provide information about the individual's current mental abilities, allowing for the development of a specific diagnosis and individualized treatment plan (Gregory, 1999). Additionally, these tests help document the effects of a progressive illness (i.e., Alzheimer's disease) or can confirm the individual's recovery (Gregory, 1999). Additionally, if suspicious or referral questions regarding cognitive functioning are presented, screening tests are often performed beforehand to assess whether or not a neurological test battery or flexible battery is necessary. These screening tests are shorter versions that are easier to administer and interpret than long batteries of intensive neurological tests (Gregory, 1999). A battery of neuropsychological assessments examines areas sensitive to trauma or brain disorders, such as intelligence, memory, language, visuospatial and motor skills, and frontal lobe functioning. The WAIS is particularly useful for neuropsychological testing because it can be used to examine these same domains. The intelligence aspect is usually measured by a standard intelligence test like the WAIS-III or WAIS-I...... middle of paper ...... r-level concept formation. Additionally, reading ability on the WAIS-III can predict Wechsler Adult Reading Test (WRAT) score. Some problems with using this approach are that reading depends on education and verbal abilities and that brain damage can lead to problems with reading ability (e.g. aphasias), so another test should be administered as part of the neuropsychological assessment (Schoenberg et al., 2002). ).Overall, the WAIS may be a useful tool to include in a neuropsychological battery. This can help estimate a person's premorbid IQ and certain individual subtests can provide insight into which section of the brain may be dysfunctional. However, the WAIS can also be a difficult test to use to estimate cognitive decline, because WAIS tasks involve so many tasks that it is difficult to distinguish what the real problem is...